Kentucky's AG Backing Federal Legislation on For-Profit Colleges

Jack Conway and 13 attorneys general are supporting the Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act sponsored by Sen. Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA).

The bill restricts colleges and universities from using federal financial aid for recruitment, advertising, and marketing purposes.

"I support higher education and students who seek a degree to create a better life for their families, but many times I see those dreams turn to nightmares when students fall prey to a fast sales pitch from a for-profit college with a questionable reputation," Conway said. "The students end up with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and no degree."

"This bill ensures that scarce federal education dollars will be used to serve and educate students rather than to finance advertising campaigns, recruitment operations and aggressive marketing at colleges that have placed profits ahead of student success."

In a letter to the chairs of U.S. House and Senate committees that will consider the legislation, Conway cites a study that shows the marketing budgets of for-profit schools consume 40% of tuition revenue while non-profit schools spend less than 1% of their revenues on marketing.

Kentucky’s attorney general is working to stem consumer protection violations on the state level, as well. Conway has lawsuits pending against several for-profits, including Daymar College, National College, and Spencerian College.